- Kelly Benjamin
Kelly Benjamin (aka Kelly Kombat) (b. 1975) was the operator of
87X Community Radio in Tampa, Florida in the mid to late 1990s, an eclectic unlicensed low power radio station that came to national attention when it was raided by the Federal Communications Commission and local police on November 19th 1997. After the fall of 87X, Benjamin went on to run a grassroots campaign for the Tampa City Council in 2003 losing to current Hillsborough County CommissionerRose Ferlita . During his campaign, Benjamin walked and/or rode the bus across the entire city of Tampa and brought issues of racial injustice and economic disparity to the forefront of the election. He is distinguished by his excellent writing skills and his inimitable temper. He is also a descendant of George Henry Benjamin; the second Mayor of West Tampa. In early 2006, Benjamin became the campaign manager of strip club owner and Hillsborough County Commission candidateJoe Redner .[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/319289831.html?dids=319289831:319289831&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+28%2C+2003&author=KATHRYN+WEXLER&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=1.B&desc=NEWSMAKER+%2F%2F+Candidate%27s+flames+of+idealism+still+unsnuffed St. Petersburg Times Mar. 28 2003]
[http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A2429 Weekly Planet Feb. 26 2003]
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